Season Ticket Holder Video Conference Calls

[united]

Chris Snow and Don Maloney today. Was really excited for this one.

- Maloney on the Jets: Hellebuyck is their key obviously, liability is their blueline, very strong powerplay, key for the Flames is discipline. Thinks it's an even matchup, but laughs as he mentions he thought the Avalanche were a good matchup for the Flames and we know how that went.
- Snow on the Jets: Teams have played each other very good. Jets are well coached. Have been grinding analytics and video the past couple weeks not only on the Jets but how the Flames can be different when things restart.
- Think the games will be very physical initially as players won't be sharp with the puck so more opportunities for physicality.
- Don't know where their hub is yet.
- Again they go out of their way to dedicate a segment specifically to Lucic's impact: off-ice, mental, physical. Think they've done this every call (along with a couple other topics) - take that as you will.
- Snow has yet to find another player in the history of the NHL who has been an average player through his 20s and then all-star caliber through his 30s. The Flames' analytics team can measure every touch of the puck now and Gio's metrics still haven't started declining.
- Tough decision with Valimaki as it relates to upside vs expansion draft. Both Snow and Maloney think he has #1 potential. Snow compares him to Jaccob Slavin (who he thinks should be a Norris candidate but won't be) and has been sending Valimaki video of Slavin - Valimaki's feedback is he thinks he can bring more offence than Slavin.
- Season ticket holder refunds coming very soon.
- Snow mentioned that something that stood out in the Avalanche disaster last year was the inability to slow down the Avalanche down the middle. Team learned that all 200 feet of the ice are important and in the playoffs you can't cheat for offence like you can get away with in the regular season.
- Have heard of unofficial hubs where NHLers are travelling to train. Mentioned Phoenix and Miami as two spots with daily skates with up to 25 NHL players skating together now and they've heard the skates aren't just typical summer skates but more full NHL speed practices. Matthews leading the Phoenix group and Ovechkin/Malkin the Miami group. Those players want a one-week training camp where some players who haven't been able to skate yet, like Rieder in Germany for instance, want three weeks.
- Trade deadline: Gio's injury was bad enough they thought he may not play the rest of the regular season, Hamonic had a rib injury and maybe out for another month, Valimaki had no chance of coming back. Snow has been a huge fan of Gustaffson and they have had eyes on him for a while. Recognize they have traded many picks recently but thought the acquisition costs were worth the insurance policies. Wanted to take weight off Gio on both PP and PK.

[Flames_F.T.W]

Thanks everyone for the updates!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by united

- Snow has yet to find another player in the history of the NHL who has been an average player through his 20s and then all-star caliber through his 30s. The Flames' analytics team can measure every touch of the puck now and Gio's metrics still haven't started declining.

Was Chara a late bloomer?

[AC]

Originally Posted by troutman

Was Chara a late bloomer?

He's probably the closest but not quite to the same extent as Gio IMO.

Production wise Chara had 39, 41, and 43 (50 pace) point seasons with Ottawa between 25-28 years old. He also had his best seasons for +/- around then.

He hit 50 points 3 times with Boston, including 52 points at 34 years old. Chara is an ageless wonder of sorts, but you could argue he peaked earlier and stayed at a high level into his mid to late 30s. Gio absolutely destroyed his career best at 35 years old.

[united]

Treliving and Bean back today.

- Hope to open the Saddledome to players later this week - going through final hurdles.
- Believe all Flames players have resumed skating in some capacity at their various locations, but only a few remain in Calgary.
- Finished construction company interviews the last couple weeks and have chosen the company.
- New building will be 18,000 - 18,5000. Larger lower bowl and a seating ring of some kind.
- Looked into the inverted bowl idea but difficult to be the first ones to do it.
- Likely will be a hybrid of slope now and inverted bowl, but not a full inverted bowl.
- Will reveal both companies (architect and construction) once they have formally informed the City who they are. Both are big and well known.
- There will be a hotel next door at the conference centre.
- On the potential USA training camp, they have looked at several locations but haven't chosen one yet. Interested in knowing hub first if possible for proximity.
- Training camps can't start until July 10 at earliest.
- Still don't know where their hub is, but there are ten cities left in the running. Each conference will play their games in one of the two hubs, so either an opposite-conference hub or non-play-in/playoff team's arena. Mentioned Vegas and LA as two they know are still in the running.
- For trades conditional on "making the playoffs", the play-in round is not considered to be making the playoffs. The field of 16 is the playoffs.
- No determination on conditional player trades.
- NHL asked all teams for building available to July 31, 2021, for the purpose of potential schedules for the 2020-21 regular season.
- Mentioned the 2020-21 season wouldn't be able start for 45 days after the Cup is awarded due to something in the CBA - but the NHL and NHLPA could negotiate that.
- Rosters are set at 28 for now but still subject to change. Likely not going down but possibly up.
- Treliving has mentioned it a few times previously but again states in his mind defence is the most important skater position on a team. Context was number of defencemen available for season resumption.
- "Do the Flames need to protect Lucic in the expansion draft?". Treliving, cautiously - "We're well aware of the rules and we are very comfortable that it will not be an issue for the expansion draft".
- Same fan questions on Valimaki's progress and Lucic's off-ice contributions. Lots of fans interested in those specific topics every call (along with a couple other questions as well) it seems.

[Toonage]

Arena description sounds like Little Caesars in Detroit

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Arena description sounds like Little Caesars in Detroit

Yup. Would be a good rink to emulate... I think they will in many ways.

[kyuss275]

What’s wrong with being the first to go full inverted bowl?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Yup. Would be a good rink to emulate... I think they will in many ways.

Except for the horrific roof. Pull up downtown Detroit on google maps with Satellite on.

[TheScorpion]

Oh man they put a huge Little Caesars mascot on the roof? That looks terrible. The concepts with the red wings logo on a red background looked way better.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Arena description sounds like Little Caesars in Detroit

Has anyone here been to it? Is it really nice? Pros/cons?

Also what is an inverted bowl? Doesn’t make sense to me as an arena description.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Has anyone here been to it? Is it really nice? Pros/cons?

Also what is an inverted bowl? Doesn’t make sense to me as an arena description.

Take the nosebleeds in the dome, move the top ring of seat over top of the bottom ring of seating on the 2nd tier. Its be a more nhl 94 viewing angle.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Also what is an inverted bowl? Doesn’t make sense to me as an arena description.

Instead of traditional stadium seating where the rows get further away from the playing surface the higher you go, in an inverted bowl, the upper levels are smaller and stacked on top of each other and hang over the lower bowl.

http://theinvertedbowl.com/

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Oh man they put a huge Little Caesars mascot on the roof? That looks terrible. The concepts with the red wings logo on a red background looked way better.

Nothing to worry about for Calgary. It will be a huge Scotiabank, Rogers or maybe Canadian Tire logo.

[TheScorpion]

Eff that. I want a huge picture of a donkey on the roof that shoots fire whenever the Flames score.

[Toonage]

Meet you half way. Blasty. Making a call on a Rogers phone to Scotiabank discussing a contested charge on his Canadian Tire card.

[dammage79]

It'd be epic for.concerts acoustically.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

What’s wrong with being the first to go full inverted bowl?

I'd guess the biggest issue is that there's a lot of potential uncertainty that could drive up the costs. Also, if it's a failure, you're stuck with it and can't really ever go back to a traditional layout.

[Toonage]

Yeah let someone else pioneer the full inverted bowl design. This arena is how long in the making? They need to get it right. Even if it means a more traditional design by and large.

[united]

Treliving and Bean back today:

- All players on the Flames' list are in Calgary. Some still finishing up quarantine.
- Treliving confirms the Flames will hold training camp in Calgary, and then head to their hub (Edmonton) on the 26th.
- Schedule not finalized yet but will play their first game on either the 1st or 2nd.
- As of now, roster sizes are 31 players but subject to change as with everything.
- Haven't received any indication or notification of any Flames opting out, though window is still open.
- On Valimaki: still not cleared for contact. Mentions that throwing a player who last played in a real game 15+ months ago into a playoff game is probably not the best. His full recovery is 100% priority. Mentioned they expected an 11- to 12-month recovery which they tried to keep quiet.
- Still no resolution to conditional trades.
- Three days of training camp will be treated as game days to prepare mind/body. Morning skate, video, nap, pre-game meal, scrimmage.
- Possibly one pre-season game??? (I got distracted so probably misheard the context of this)
- Bean again mentions the bowls in the new building will be steeper than in Edmonton, more comparable with Detroit.
- Reiterates they strongly considered the complete inverted bowl as rumoured but didn't want to be the first in existence given getting it wrong for $500 million is a big cost. Again, arena will be a hybrid between existing and inverted - highest seats will be much closer to the ice laterally than the 'Dome's.
- Play-in games will likely be considered regional games with regional broadcasters. Not finalized. Playoffs will be national crews.
- Rink sponsorship issues (on-ice paint, boards) still in discussion. May just go with NHL logos. Also, for instance, Rogers Place's centre ice circle is the Oilers' logo - will that be removed for ice or NHL symbol?
- Treliving recommends Grit by Angela Duckworth as a quarantine read. Sent a copy to all the players.